Colonel 58th Indiana Infantry

(1833-83) Born at Lawrenceburg, Indiana, he graduated from Norwich University, in 1856, and was a civil engineer before the Civil War. He enlisted on December 4, 1861, and was commissioned lieutenant colonel, of the 58th Indiana Infantry. During the winter of 1861-62, Buell's regiment served in central Kentucky in the army commanded by his first cousin, General Don Carlos Buell. They arrived on the field of Shiloh on the second day in time to save the Union army from disaster, and participated in the siege of Corinth, Mississippi, with Buell being promoted to colonel of the regiment on June 23, 1862. He led the 58th Indiana during the Battle of Perryville, Ky., on October 8th; and in October, his regiment pursued General Braxton Bragg's Confederates as they left Kentucky; in late December they charged the enemy at Lavergne; and they fought in the bloody three day battle of Stone's River. After the battle, George P. Buell was elevated to brigade command, and led several different brigades in the Army of the Cumberland throughout 1863 and 1864. He also led a brigade during the Battle of Chickamauga, on September 19–20, 1863, where they suffered 171 men killed, wounded and missing, out of 400 engaged. They saw action on November 23rd in the battle at Chattanooga, and participated in the gallant charge on Missionary Ridge, Tennessee. They made a forced march to Knoxville where they helped to lift the siege of the city from General James Longstreet's Confederate army. They suffered immensely during the winter of 1863-64, as they were forced to camp on the hills of eastern Tennessee without tents or provisions other than what they could forage in an already impoverished country. In the Atlanta campaign, Buell's men did all the bridge building from Chattanooga to Atlanta, a most dangerous job as they were constantly subjected to the enemy's fire. In November 1864, they were assigned to the Army of Georgia, commanded by General Henry W. Slocum, and did all the bridge work and road repairs for that army on General William T. Sherman's March to the Sea, from Atlanta to Savannah, including the rebuilding of King's bridge, 1,000 feet long, across the Ogeechee River. After the capture of Savannah, they did all the bridging from Savannah to Goldsboro, N.C., including building a pontoon bridge over the Savannah River, where the men worked for six days in water up to four feet deep. In this campaign, they did yeoman's work, much of the time in close proximity to the enemy and under fire. Buell was promoted to rank of brevet brigadier general on January 12, 1865, and mustered out of the volunteer service on July 25, 1865, having been cited for conspicuous gallantry in the battle of Missionary Ridge, and for most valuable management of the pontoon trains in General Sherman's campaigns. After the war, he joined the Regular U.S. Army as lieutenant colonel, serving in the 29th, 11th, and 15th infantry regiments respectively, dying on May 31, 1883, at Nashville, Tennessee with the rank of colonel.

We plate, albumen carte de visite photograph, mounted to 2 3/8 x 4 card. Standing view of Buell wearing a double breasted frock coat with rank of brigadier general, and holding his slouch hat. He poses next to a studio column. No back mark. Light age toning, and corner wear. Very scarce and desirable image.